Referencing ChatGPT and other generative

artificial intelligence (AI)

Students are reminded that submitting writing generated by AI as your own work is
an Academic Offence and doing so will incur strict penalties. However, using AI to
support your learning can be beneficial, if used responsibly and with integrity.
You need to acknowledge any use of generative AI output in your work. You should provide
a full and proper citation and reference list entry where possible.
ChatGPT is the most well-known of the generative AI technologies but others (such as
Google Bard, Bing Chat, DALL-E, Copilot or Midjourney) also exist and require referencing
in order to avoid plagiarism. Types of material that might be generated by AI include text,
images, code and even ideas. Anything that is not your own original creation or thoughts
should be appropriately referenced.

This is provisional advice and may be subject to change as official guidelines for
various referencing styles are still in the process of being created. This advice
sheet will be updated accordingly as and when official guidance is produced.
Please also consult guidance from your Faculty or School on using generative AI
for your academic work.

Harvard

Information taken from Cite Them Right Online

‘If this generative AI material is available online, you can cite it as an electronic version of a
source
(such as an artwork or article).’

1 In-text citation:

The AI-generated flower (Shutterstock AI,

2023)... Reference list:

Structure – Creator (Year) Title of work [Medium]. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

Shutterstock AI (2023) Photo of pond with lotus flower [Digital art]. Available at:
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-generated/photo-pond-lotus-flower-2252080005
(Accessed: 31 March 2023).

‘If the AI’s end product (for example use of ChatGPT in conversation) is only available to
you, cite this as a personal communication and include a description of the AI generated
material in your in-text citation. Consult your tutor in case they require you to provide a
copy of the AI work as an appendix to your work.’

In-text citation:

When prompted by the author, ChatGPT responded with a ‘definition of academic integrity’
(OpenAI ChatGPT, 2023). A copy of this response is in Appendix 1.

Academic and Digital Skills Team: ils-ast@gre.ac.uk May 2023

 Referencing ChatGPT and other generative
artificial intelligence (AI)
Reference list:

Structure – Creator and title of AI (Year of communication) Medium of communication and

receiver of communication, day/month of communication.

OpenAI ChatGPT (2023) ChatGPT response to John Smith, 2 April.

APA (American Psychological Association)

Information taken from ‘How to cite ChatGPT’ APA Style blog

In-text citation:

(OpenAI, 2023) or OpenAI (2023)

Reference list:

Structure – Creator. (Year). Title of AI (Release version). URL

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 23 version) [Large language

model].
https://chat.openai.com/chat
2

OSCOLA (Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities)

Currently, no official guidance has been released for citing and referencing
generative AI for the OSCOLA style. Please follow the following structure in your
footnotes and reference list.

Footnote citation:

Structure – Footnote number. Creator and title of AI and form of communication (Date).

Footnote:

¹ OpenAI ChatGPT response to prompt ‘what is the law in the UK regarding offensive online
communications?’ (27 April 2023).

Reference list:

Structure – Creator and title of AI, Medium of communication and receiver of communication
<URL of title of AI> accessed: date.

OpenAI ChatGPT, ChatGPT response to John Smith <https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt>

accessed 27 April 2023.

Academic and Digital Skills Team: ils-ast@gre.ac.uk May 2023

 Referencing ChatGPT and other generative
artificial intelligence (AI)
Turabian (Chicago style)

Currently, no official guidance has been released for citing and referencing
generative AI for the Turabian style. Please follow the following structure in your
footnotes and reference list.

Footnote citation:

Structure – Footnote number. Creator and title of AI, Form of communication from author,
Date.

¹ OpenAI ChatGPT, response to prompt “to what extent was Thucydides right about the
cause(s) of
the Peloponnesian War?” from author, 7 February, 2023.

Reference list:

Structure – Creator. Title of AI. Accessed date. URL of title of AI.

OpenAI. ChatGPT. Accessed February 7, 2023.

https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt.

Vancouver

3 Currently, no official guidance has been released for citing and referencing generative
AI for the Vancouver style. Please follow the following structure for your in-text citation
and reference list.

In-text citation:

As a response to my question OpenAI’s ChatGPT (2023 Apr 28) stated…

Reference list:

Structure – Creator and title of AI. Form of communication [Medium]. Year [cited date].
Available from: URL of title of AI.

OpenAI ChatGPT. Response to prompt: compare left-wing and right-wing policies

regarding mental health in the United Kingdom. [Generative artificial intelligence]. 2023
[cited 2023 Apr 27]. Available from: https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt.

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)

Currently, no official guidance has been released for citing and referencing
generative AI for the IEEE style. Please follow the following structure for your
reference list.

Academic and Digital Skills Team: ils-ast@gre.ac.uk May 2023

 Referencing ChatGPT and other generative
artificial intelligence (AI)
Reference list:

[Reference number] Creator, Title of AI and form of communication, Date, unpublished.

OpenAI, ChatGPT response to prompt “outline 3 reasons why children can't form circles,”
Apr. 28, 2023, unpublished.

Academic and Digital Skills Team: ils-ast@gre.ac.uk May 2023